Dual Boot to same OS

[Bat]

Hello peeps,

I have a dual boot configuration on a my partitioned hard drive. The partitions are:
C:\ with XP Pro on it
E:\ with XP pro on it (exactly the same CD key and all works fine)
F:\ used as general space so I can place a file on it, boot to the other OS and retrieve
it etc.

The reason I've done this, other than to experiment, is so I can keep the F:\ drive as
'clean' as possible and use it for gaming only and drive C:\ for everything else.

I've only had this kind of setup for the past fort-night or so and I am pretty happy with
it. All the 'bloat-ware' goes on C:\ and only necessary software and drivers go onto F:\
for my games.

My question is:
My parents have a computer with User Accounts set up on it (Mother / Father) but
sometimes, my Father will install something that changes file associations, or something
else, on my Mothers User Account side.

Assuming they have the hard drive space (they do), wouldn't it be better for me to set
their PC up similarly to how I have mine set up and have 2 completely separate OS's,
rather than have User Accounts which can interfere with each other? I could use a 3rd
partition for them to use as Shared Documents (they sometimes share music files and
pictures).

Basically, they want separate PC's, but because they can't afford it, I was thinking that
a dual boot would be as close to them having separate PC's as they could get.

I know some software installations don't detect the drive you are installing from and
default to C:\ but that's a minor problem.

It works well for my single-user usage but I can't help thinking that the same kind of
configuration could work for them, too.

I'm planning spending a few days up there next week and any info and experiences shared
from people would be greatly welcomed.

Best wishes,

Bat!

 

[Guest]

i have a pc that has dual boot but each o.s. is on a different hd. as the pc
has 2 hd's. it doesn't sound like a bad idea.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

I have a dual boot configuration on a my partitioned hard drive. The
partitions are:
C:\ with XP Pro on it
E:\ with XP pro on it (exactly the same CD key and all works fine)
F:\ used as general space so I can place a file on it, boot to the
other OS and retrieve it etc.

The reason I've done this, other than to experiment, is so I can keep
the F:\ drive as 'clean' as possible and use it for gaming only and
drive C:\ for everything else.

I've only had this kind of setup for the past fort-night or so and I am
pretty happy with it. All the 'bloat-ware' goes on C:\ and only
necessary software and drivers go onto F:\ for my games.

My question is:
My parents have a computer with User Accounts set up on it
(Mother / Father) but sometimes, my Father will install
something that changes file associations, or something
else, on my Mothers User Account side.

Assuming they have the hard drive space (they do), wouldn't
it be better for me to set their PC up similarly to how I have
mine set up and have 2 completely separate OS's, rather than
have User Accounts which can interfere with each other?
I could use a 3rd partition for them to use as Shared Documents
(they sometimes share music files and pictures).

Basically, they want separate PC's, but because they can't
afford it, I was thinking that a dual boot would be as close to
them having separate PC's as they could get.
I know some software installations don't detect the drive you
are installing from and default to C:\ but that's a minor problem.

It works well for my single-user usage but I can't help thinking
that the same kind of configuration could work for them, too.

I'm planning spending a few days up there next week and any
info and experiences shared from people would be greatly welcomed.

Dual-booting is a good simple way to keep users out of
each other's OS, although it's not a security method to
*prevent* them from getting into each other's OS (because
each OS will be able to see the file structure of the other
OS while each is running). It does involve the hassle of
installing all software twice, though. And here is my caution:

Since the partitions will be on the same HD, don't try to just
make a clone of one partition onto the other partition. With
separate HDs, that is the STANDARD procedure to do what
you want. But standard cloning procedure on WinNT/2K/XP
is to isolate the clone OS from its "parent" OS when it boots
for its FIRST time. This is to keep the clone from making
random (and many times subtle) links into its "parent's" file
system, resulting in files that you *think* are on the clone
actually being in the "parent's" file system. That leads to a
major mess if both get into editing the file that they think is
just theirs or if the "parent" system is removed. With separate
HDs, this isolation on first bootup can be accomplished easily
by just disconnecting the original HD when booting the OS on
the new HD for the first time. But when the 2 OSes are on the
same HD, you have to use 3rd-party utilities to "hide" the
"parent's" partition, and that can get complex.

This recognition by the clone of its "parent" (which only happens
when it boots for its first time) does not occur for separately
installed OSes. So as long as you're willing to install the OS and
the application software on both partitions separately, all will be fine.

*TimDaniels*

 

[AJR]

Let me get this straight - Father and Mother access same "stuff"? What
happened to password protected user accounts? Two OS installations - high
mainentence and probable waste of resources.

 

[Bat]

| "Bat" wrote
| > I have a dual boot configuration on a my partitioned hard drive. The
| > partitions are:
| > C:\ with XP Pro on it
| > E:\ with XP pro on it (exactly the same CD key and all works fine)
| > F:\ used as general space so I can place a file on it, boot to the
| > other OS and retrieve it etc.
| >
| > The reason I've done this, other than to experiment, is so I can keep
| > the F:\ drive as 'clean' as possible and use it for gaming only and
| > drive C:\ for everything else.
| >
| > I've only had this kind of setup for the past fort-night or so and I am
| > pretty happy with it. All the 'bloat-ware' goes on C:\ and only
| > necessary software and drivers go onto F:\ for my games.
| >
| > My question is:
| > My parents have a computer with User Accounts set up on it
| > (Mother / Father) but sometimes, my Father will install
| > something that changes file associations, or something
| > else, on my Mothers User Account side.
| >
| > Assuming they have the hard drive space (they do), wouldn't
| > it be better for me to set their PC up similarly to how I have
| > mine set up and have 2 completely separate OS's, rather than
| > have User Accounts which can interfere with each other?
| > I could use a 3rd partition for them to use as Shared Documents
| > (they sometimes share music files and pictures).
| >
| > Basically, they want separate PC's, but because they can't
| > afford it, I was thinking that a dual boot would be as close to
| > them having separate PC's as they could get.
| > I know some software installations don't detect the drive you
| > are installing from and default to C:\ but that's a minor problem.
| >
| > It works well for my single-user usage but I can't help thinking
| > that the same kind of configuration could work for them, too.
| >
| > I'm planning spending a few days up there next week and any
| > info and experiences shared from people would be greatly welcomed.
|
|
| Dual-booting is a good simple way to keep users out of
| each other's OS, although it's not a security method to
| *prevent* them from getting into each other's OS (because
| each OS will be able to see the file structure of the other
| OS while each is running). It does involve the hassle of
| installing all software twice, though. And here is my caution:
|
| Since the partitions will be on the same HD, don't try to just
| make a clone of one partition onto the other partition. With
| separate HDs, that is the STANDARD procedure to do what
| you want. But standard cloning procedure on WinNT/2K/XP
| is to isolate the clone OS from its "parent" OS when it boots
| for its FIRST time. This is to keep the clone from making
| random (and many times subtle) links into its "parent's" file
| system, resulting in files that you *think* are on the clone
| actually being in the "parent's" file system. That leads to a
| major mess if both get into editing the file that they think is
| just theirs or if the "parent" system is removed. With separate
| HDs, this isolation on first bootup can be accomplished easily
| by just disconnecting the original HD when booting the OS on
| the new HD for the first time. But when the 2 OSes are on the
| same HD, you have to use 3rd-party utilities to "hide" the
| "parent's" partition, and that can get complex.
|
| This recognition by the clone of its "parent" (which only happens
| when it boots for its first time) does not occur for separately
| installed OSes. So as long as you're willing to install the OS and
| the application software on both partitions separately, all will be fine.
|
| *TimDaniels*

Hi Tim,

Interesting reply. Many thanks.

I wouldn't have cloned the XP installation anyway but it's interesting to know not to, on
the same hard drive.

If I can[*] I will do what I have done on my own system and that is, format the drive with
3 partitions, then separately install an XP O/S on 2 of the partitions and use the 3rd
partition for sharing.

[*]My parents do not have an original XP CD. They have a Packard Bell (NEC) recovery CD
with the O/S hidden away on it somewhere (I'm chasing this up on another forum!).

Thanks again

Bat!

 

[Bat]

| Let me get this straight - Father and Mother access same "stuff"? What
| happened to password protected user accounts? Two OS installations - high
| mainentence and probable waste of resources.

Hi AJR,

Both Father and Mother have password protected User Accounts but that does not prevent one
user installing something that might change something for the other user.

E.g., Mother prefers Windows Media Player to open music files. Father installs Winamp.
Mother has to reset file associations so that her music doesn't open up in Winamp. That's
1 small example.

A separate O/S could prevent niggly (but annoying) preferences being changed without your
say so and if they have a hefty hard drive, why not make use of it and put 2 O/S's on it?

Bat!

 

[DL]

How do Mother & Father get on

 

[Bat]

| How do Mother & Father get on

They aren't filing for divorce yet.

Bat!